George Karl “definitely doing better every day”

Since signing with the Nuggets in the last week of the season, Nuggets guard Coby Karl has spent time every day heâ€™s been in Denver with his father, coach George Karl, who is recovering from intense treatment for throat and neck cancer.

â€śHeâ€™s definitely doing better every day,â€ť Coby Karl said on Friday afternoon. â€śHeâ€™s on some more meds that should help his recovery process. Heâ€™s going to try to start eating some softer foods. It seems to be quickening up, so hopefully the progress continues.â€ť

George Karl has been a fighter through this process, and he still feeds himself through a stomach tube.

Karlâ€™s life partner, Kim Van Deraa, has previously said that the second round of the playoffs is possibility for coach Karlâ€™s return.

Asked if the second is a goal, Coby Karl said, â€śHeâ€™s never said that to me, but I think heâ€™s more in-tune with whatâ€™s going on. We talk about preparation and what weâ€™re doing with Utah. We talk more basketball every day. I think heâ€™s getting excited.â€ť

Coby Karl has been participating in practices and he and fellow D-League signee Brian Butch were the last two players to leave Pepsi Center on Friday.

â€śItâ€™s fun just to be on a NBA team again — the D-League definitely isnâ€™t the NBA in terms of talent, preparation and amenities,â€ť said Coby Karl, who was on the 2007-08 Lakers. â€śSo itâ€™s just fun to be around a playoff organization and do what ever I can to help.

â€śWeâ€™re getting more focused â€“ today was better than yesterday.â€ť

Chris Dempsey arrived at The Denver Post in Dec. 2003 after seven years at the Boulder Daily Camera, where he primarily covered the University of Colorado football and men's basketball teams. A University of Colorado-Boulder alumnus, Dempsey covers the Nuggets and also chips in on college sports.